Marco Island III

After the sun got to the point where contrast was unmanageable I left the owls and wandered down to the reserve at Tigertail Beach while I was waiting for Kay, Simon and Angela to arrive. 

The tide was slowly coming in but it was too early for most of the waders to put in an appearance.  I'd left the camera kit in the car, other than my pocket Panasonic, so all these pics are with that.  I've said before it's not a bad little camera, and it was good enough to snap a ghost crab (one big claw) and a Wilson's plover.

Once the rest of the crew arrived we had a cracking day.  Canoeing on the lagoon is always fun, and I swear one of these days a big mullet really will jump into the canoe with me.  Some really are quite a good size - maybe next year Simon and I will actually get around to trying to catch some.  In the meantime we were content to drift along watching the egrets - least blue and reddish - as always they some more relaxed when you are in a boat.

Then we paddled to the far side and wandered along the white sand beach - good spot for shells, but just a great spot full stop.  A few more waders - a weakness of mine naming wise.  I think these might be short-billed dowitchers - if you know differently let me know!

After a fabulous veggie wrap (I'm not a veggie, but this is so unusual for the US I have to mention it!) the others wanted to see if any owls were around.  There were a couple still showing but the other denizens of the orange taped holes were also about - gopher tortoises, and this time one posed more happily.

If you are ever out this way do visit Marco Island and Tigertail in particular - there's even a bald eagle nest a couple of blocks away.